Bleeding Love
by aggy's girl
Summary: A childhood prank. Two broken hearts. A friendship ended. The last day Imari saw her best friend was the day she left Cameron. Eleven years later, her grudge still burns strong. Better summary inside.
1. Chapter 1

**BLEEDING LOVE**

**Summary: **Written for Harley-Hardy01. A childhood prank. Two broken hearts. A friendship ended. The last day Imari Clapp ever saw her best friend was the day she left Cameron. Eleven years on and her grudge still burns strong. What happens when she lands her dream job with the WWE as a writer and wrestler for its Smackdown! brand. She finds that even after all these years; love and pain still exists and she is ready to do whatever it takes to prove herself to not only the Charismatic Enigma, but also to the world.

**Theme Song:** Bleeding Love by Leona Lewis.

**Rating:** M for language, adult situations, violence, and later chapters.

**Genre:** romance/drama.

**Pairing:** JeffHardy/OC/JohnCena.

**Disclaimer:** The names of all World Wrestling Entertainment televised and live programming, talent names, images, likenesses, slogans and wrestling moves are trademarks which are the exclusive property of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. and I don't try to take any claim on anything. I only own the original characters in the stories. These stories are in no way related to me, nor are the original characters.

**Feedback:** Greatly welcomed, this fic starts off pretty quickly, but there is a reason why, and it will be revealed why later on in the fic, just to clear things up now. Would love to know what people think, this just popped into my head a few weeks back and I just got idea after idea.

- - -

**CHAPTER ONE**

They had decided to celebrate Shannon's birthday in the only way they knew how whilst on the road- finding a local club and bringing everyone with them. Drinks were on the Hardyz and didn't a lot of the superstars take the opportunity to get drunk off their faces. The group took up the entire V.I.P lounge that was upstairs and even a few of the downstairs tables.

Currently the core group were trying to get down the stairs and to the dance floor, ready to show off with some of the women hanging off their arms.

"Hey Jeff!"

The man in question turned around on the stairs to look at his friend. "What is it, Prince?"

"Thanks man, for this!" Shannon shouted over the music. Jeff grinned and shook his head, his multi-coloured hair changing colours in the hue of the light.

"No worries," he replied, looking at the blonde hanging off his friends arm. He had didn't have anyone to dance with, but that was usually how he liked it, he had Beth back home and he preferred to dance alone anyway. "Don't thank me yet, the night is far from over."

- - -

She breathed in heavily, looking over her figure in the mirror. Why she had agreed to perform tonight she had no idea.

Everything around her had fallen to pieces in the last few months, that she didn't even know where to start about cleaning up the mess that was currently her life. Her dad passing away, her boyfriend leaving her and to make it all worse her younger brother Bobby had been diagnosed with lung cancer. He should've quit smoking when she had, it might have saved him.

"Girls you have five minutes, they are clearing the dancers off the floor, so better hurry up." All six of the women who were performing, all quickly hustled and fixed up the last of their appearance.

"Hey Ima." She smiled, hugging her friend Danielle when she appeared beside her. "How's Bobby doing?"

Imari lowered her eyes to the floor and shook her head. "He is getting worse. I'm gonna go and visit him later, wanna come?"

"Hell yeah, anything for the little guy. So, you gonna sing tonight? I heard Eric was here. Payback is a bitch, Ima. You could so easily pick a song to get back at him."

She smiled at her friend and shook her head. "Nah, I got to learn to live and let go. He was a piece of work anyway, and I don't feel like singing. I'm just gonna do this and then I'm out of here."

Dani pulled back and looked over her friend. She was thin, a lot thinner than she usually was and she looked tired and it was easy to see considering she was only wearing her lead signature attire for their performance; a pair of black knee length high tops with hot pink laces, a plaid black and five shade pink pleated lace-up skirt, black boyshorts on underneath, fishnet stockings, hot pink fishnet gloves and to finish her outfit she had on a black spaghetti strap top that was cut off to reveal her stomach. All the girls had on the same just different colours; Danielle had on black and a pale green; Miranda had on white and bright yellow; Kimber had white and blue; Stacey had black and purple; and Casey had white and red. They had picked their colours the first time they'd formed the group.

Since her father had passed away, she had been looking after her little brother. Imari had basically become the mother of the family since their mother had left them all those years ago. Though she was strong, Ima didn't always look after herself especially when her family was in trouble.

"Girly, when was the last time you ate?" Danielle questioned.

Imari looked at her friend and sighed before looking around at the rest of the girls. "I had lunch."

"Really? Listen, we are taking you out to lunch tomorrow, no arguments either. Bobby wouldn't want you to be disregarding your own health, just because you're worried about him," Dani remarked. "Right girls." A chorus of replies made Imari smile softly and nod.

"Alright," she said, putting her hands up as 'Fighter' by Christina Aguilera started up, signalling that they needed to get out there.

- - -

Jeff stood next to Shannon and the blonde on his arm as they were asked to leave the dance floor. They stood in the front row around the large square. He looked over the heads of a number of people when the DJ announced a group of dancers known as the Dangerous Angels. Quirking an eyebrow as the six women appeared Jeff grinned.

"Oh hot. Mini skirts," Shannon hummed then looked down at the blonde hanging off his arm. "Now that is certainly more nicer to look at then jeans." Jeff shut his eyes as he heard skin meeting skin. She'd slapped Shannon. Admittedly, Shannon deserved it after that remark- but still.

Once she had walked off, Jeff started to laugh at his friend's hurt look. "What'd I say?"

Wrapping an arm around his friends shoulders, he pulled him close. "I think it was the part where you commented that you'd rather see her in a mini skirt than jeans." He chuckled when Shannon shrugged and looked at the dancers. Turning his attention to the dancers, Jeff didn't realise that they were pulling people from the crowd and wasn't expecting to be grabbed by the shirt and pulled out onto the dance floor. Though he didn't mind dancing, he really didn't know what he was doing.

"Come on buddy, dance!" one of the women told him as she stopped beside him. He looked up into a pair of piercing ice blue eyes and froze.

- - -

Imari's eyes nearly fell out of her head at the sight of the man standing next to her. Pursing her lips, she smirked. "Come on, Jeffery!" she challenged. Seeing him glower, she chuckled and motioned everyone else off the floor and grabbed a microphone from the DJ table. Jeff simply stood there and watched her. The music cut off suddenly and everyone's attention went to Imari. "Ladies and gentlemen! Please welcome World Wrestling Entertainment's own Charismatic Enigma, Jeff Hardy, who is going to face me in a dance-off- right now!" she said into the microphone, earning cheers from the crowd. "If he chooses to accept, that is?"

- - -

Despite that he didn't like the idea of this dance-off, he couldn't nearly turn down the challenge, otherwise he'd look like a wimp in front of all his friends and co-workers, who were most likely watching from up in the V.I.P. section. He sighed and started to peel off his jacket, earning cheers from the women in the crowd as it revealed his white-button down. "You're on, Imari!" he shouted over the cheers and tossed his jacket at Shannon, who surprisingly even in his drunken stupor managed to catch it. He shrugged and folded his arms over his chest, as Imari handed the microphone back to the DJ. "Let's see what you got."

- - -

Imari sneered at him as she walked past him, pushing him backwards and knocking his larger frame into a group of guys, who shoved him back onto the dance floor laughing. "Uh-uh. Both," she told him.

Jeff nodded and stepped up close to her. "I-"

"Don't say a word to me, Hardy," she snapped as they slid back away from one another. She glowered at him and grinned as 'Low' by Flo-Rida and T-Pain, the remix started up. She swung her body to the beat and saw him doing some insane move that was purely a Jeff Hardy original. How could she not recognise him, she was a wrestling fan and watched Smackdown!, RAW and ECW every time it was on. Dancing on her side of the floor, she turned her back on the Hardy Boy, knowing if she kept watching, she was going to lose her footing, the man was wild when it came to dancing and she was talented, but could be clumsy at times.

Ima jumped when hands landed on her hips and turned her around. Her eyes went to Jeff's face. It never lost the dead seriousness as he pulled her in close. "You've changed." She ignored his comment and ground her hips into his, earning a startled look from him.

"Come on, Hardy, enough talking or you'll lose," she told him, sliding down his body, her fingers tingled as she felt the muscles beneath his clothes move underneath the pads of her fingers. Looking up at him, she wasn't excepting him to pull away quickly and go back to dancing. Grinning, Imari hooked her hand with his and pulled him to her, only to have him lose his balance. He pulled her down with him and it ended up with him landing on his back with a thud, and her straddling his body.

The music ended and people crowded them, only problem was, Jeff wasn't letting go of where he had hold of her hips. She forcefully pushed his hands away and stood up with a smirk. "Guess I win cause you ended up on your back first."

- - -

Jeff caught onto the double meaning behind the word and jumped up when she walked off. He looked around for her as he tried to navigate his way through the crowd. A hand grabbed his arm and Jeff turned to find Shannon, holding his coat out for him. Clearly he hadn't realised just who had challenged his friend, probably because he was beginning to feel the effects of all the drink he'd consumed.

"I'll be back," he told him as he took his coat and ducked through the crowd heading for where he had seen a number of the dancers head. Just as he went to open the door labelled 'club personnel only', a hand grabbed his shoulder.

"Yo buddy, that's only for dancers and you ain't no dancer." Turning, Jeff looked at the bouncer and grimaced. Knowing he couldn't start a fight, he put his hands up in surrender and backed away, heading for the stairs, leading to the V.I.P lounge.

- - -

Imari smiled as she pulled her skirt off when the girls appeared. "Yo girl, what was up with tossing us off the dance floor?" Danielle remarked. "All to dance with McHottie, shame on you." Her smile disappeared when Dani spoke. Looking down at the ground, she shrugged.

"Sorry 'bout that. Just an old grudge. I know it wasn't exactly the best timing," she muttered, stripping off the rest of her clothes and pulling on a pair of jeans and black corset top. She looked in the mirror and nodded before turning to the girls.

"Ima, you just took on a celebrity and practically made out with him out there," Casey said.

Imari pointed a finger at her friend and shook her head. "No. I would never make out with that lying, piece of work, son of a bitch," she told her friend in a deadly tone. Casey swallowed as she saw her friends eyes burn like a firestorm. Dani placed a hand on her friend's shoulder and said for her to chill a little. Ima sighed heavily and fell down into the chair beside her.

"Look, I haven't had the best past, especially when it comes to friends and trust. Jeff and I used to be friends- close friends, until-" she trailed off and wouldn't dare finish her sentence. It was hard enough to think about, but to say it nearly made her throw up. "Let's just say that he is the main reason why I haven't got the best temper in the world, especially when it comes to practical jokes," she said, using any excuse she could think of, "not to mention my trust towards men or my private relationships."

- - -

Jeff and Shannon leaned on each other for support as they left the club. He had drunk more than his share, but at least he was able to hold his alcohol better than what his friend could. Opening the cab door, he pushed Shannon in and turned around, looking for Matt and Greg. However, it wasn't his brother and friend that he caught sight of first. Imari. Drawing in a deep breath, Jeff walked over to where she was leaving the club behind a number of his co-workers.

"Clapp." He saw her head turn in his direction and her eyes widen. Seeing her making to leave, he caught hold of her arm, stopping her. "We need to talk."

Jeff wasn't expecting her to laugh at him. "Talk? Really, eleven years later and now you want to talk. What a joke you are, Hardy." She made to pull away, only to have him tug her back in front of him. The drink wasn't really helping him think straight at the moment, but that didn't stop him from keeping tight hold of her. "Let go of me, Hardy, right now." Before he could think, he lowered his head and pressed his mouth to hers. Maybe it was the drink that made him do it, or maybe just plain stupidity, he didn't know, but the kiss was short lived when he felt a high-heel land on his foot, making him cringe and pull away. A loud slap sounded through the now silent air. "You're a drunk fool, Jeffery Nero, and what's more I told you once before that I never wanted to see you again, or I'd hurt you," she growled before turning and stalking off.

Jeff stood there, wincing at the pain in his foot and holding a hand to his cheek as he watched her walk off. He didn't remember who had lead him back to the cab, but when he gained some reasoning, he found himself laying down in his hotel room, his shoes gone and his belt as well.

Groaning as his hangover kicked in rather quickly, he glanced around the room. At least he was alone. Crawling from the bed, he managed to find his footing and head for the bathroom, running into a table in the process.

Stripping off the rest of his clothes, he stepped beneath a hot shower, trying to make sense of what had happened at the club. Eleven years. He hadn't seen her in eleven years and now as if someone from up above had decided to make his life twice as difficult, Imari was thrown back into the mix, leaving him confused beyond words. He leaned back against the wall of the shower, running his hands down his face. And, what the hell was up with him kissing her? Well, that he blamed on the drink, but he couldn't forget the sight of her figure, revealed deliciously by the clothing she'd worn out on the dance floor. All he had been able to remember of Ima was a teenage, bookworm, puppy fat and that cute giggle of hers. Now all he could picture was a fiery woman with the most gorgeous piercing blue eyes. How could he have forgotten the grudge she probably held against him for what he'd done to her all those years ago? He had never been able to imagine his old friend hating him, but- he grimaced, who could blame her?


	2. Chapter 2

**BLEEDING**** LOVE**

**Disclaimer:** The names of all World Wrestling Entertainment televised and live programming, talent names, images, likenesses, slogans and wrestling moves are trademarks which are the exclusive property of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. and I don't try to take any claim on anything. I only own the original characters in the stories. These stories are in no way related to me, nor are the original characters.

**Feedback:** Greatly welcomed, this fic starts off pretty quickly, but there is a reason why, and it will be revealed why later on in the fic, just to clear things up now. Would love to know what people think, this just popped into my head a few weeks back and I just got idea after idea.

_Thanks for the reviews for chapter one. Will be updating a number of these stories from now til the end of January; Touched By Love, Bleeding Love, Lose Yourself, and more, while juggling HSC school work. hehe._

_owe this chapter to you Harley-Hardy01 who finally got me back into writing this one and a number of others that should have been updated ages ago. hehe. _

- - -

**CHAPTER TWO**

Imari knocked on the door labelled room 369. Dani sat in the waiting room, just in case they weren't able to see him. She opened the door after a few seconds and stepped inside. Her older brothers; Joshua and Mike sat on two chairs near the door, watching as a nurse took a blood sample from their younger brother.

"Hey guys," she whispered. They both turned to look at her with weak smiles. Holding the door open as the nurse left, Imari looked over at where her brother lay, knocked out from his medication, various medical equipment was set up around him and she bit her lower lip. The sight of her brother laying there, nearly looking like a pin cushion made her heart tear in two. She hated seeing her little brother like this, especially when there was nothing that she could do to help him, except pray that a miracle happened, but knew it was currently the only thing . "How is he?"  
"He said he feels a little better, but that was only after I told him you were coming," Josh told her as he stood up and pulled her into a warm embrace. Mike pulled his little sister into a hug not too long after Josh had let her go. "Doctors said to just leave him, but we had to make sure he was alright."

"Yeah, you know how we love to keep him company," Mike joked, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jeans. The entire Clapp family, well the children, were professional wrestler and all knew how much it must've been eating at Bobby not being able to train, nor was it comfortable for the other three to work, considering they couldn't concentrate at times, worried about how their brother was faring and reacting to the medication.  
Josh noticed the sad look on his sister's face and grabbed her chin. "Hey, what's up?" he asked. She pulled away, shaking her head before she walked over to the bed where her little brother was sleeping. It was better that she didn't mention Jeff in front of Josh or Mike. They probably still wanted to kill him for all those years ago. Hey, what could she say? Her brothers had always been protective of her.

Easing herself up onto the bed beside him, she picked up his hand and squeezed it comfortingly.

"I love you, Bobby," she whispered. She saw his eyes start to flutter open and couldn't stop the smile from coming to her face when her baby blue eyes met a slightly duller pair.

"Mari?" Josh and Mike were at the bedside in a heartbeat.

"How you feeling, baby bro?" she questioned, pushing wavy blonde locks back out of his eyes. "Dani's outside, feel up for a round with the wildcat?"  
Bobby chuckled and nodded. "Sure."

- - -

Standing at the café, Jeff tapped his knuckles across the counter top. He felt an arm slid around his shoulders and turned his head to find his brother beside him, a big smile on his face. "Have fun last night with your little dance partner?"

Jeff shook his head. "Hell no! Did you even notice who it was? Or were you too busy feelin' up Ditzy." He glanced at the person who he was referring to and when she giggled and waved at him, he chuckled and waved back a little stiffly before looking at his brother. "I hate ya. You know that right, bro?"

Matt raised an eyebrow. "Uh- just a dancer who recognised you from television."

"Matt- I'm serious. It was- Imari," he muttered, trailing off. He glanced at Matt, pulling away from his brother, obliviously Matt had been too busy feelin' up whoever he could while he was pissed. Where was Shannon when you needed him?

Jeff looked back at Matt and found him simply staring at him with a look of doubt. "Don't give me that look. I'm telling you the truth! The girl I danced with was Imari. Shannon saw her, he'll back me."

"Bullshit. Imari was never that hot. She was cute, but in a nerdy way. If that is her, she looks like a-"

"-Diva," Jeff finished for his brother. Matt opened his mouth, then shut it, opened it, and then shut it once more. There was no way that, the girl he'd been watching outdance his brother last night was the same tomboy who had dressed up in baggy wrestling t-shirts and danced around to Motley Crue, and there was no way in all hell that the woman last night was the only girl of the Core Group who could beat up a guy twice her twice and make him cry like a little girl. Not that he was speaking from personal experience.

Matt shook his head, grabbing his little brothers shoulders and shaking him. "Jeffro- repeat after me; Imari was not the girl I danced with last night, I am sober this morning and know that last night I had more than enough to drink to make me believe that the woman in front of me was Imari."

"But that's just-"

"Say it!"

Jeff heaved a sigh. "Imari was not the girl I danced with last night, I am sober this morning and know that last night I had more than enough to drink to make me believe that the woman in front of me was Imari." Even if it was.

"Good. Now, how about breakfast?" Matt said.

- - -

Mari stood half asleep at the checkout. She hadn't been told that she was working today until the last minute and because of this, she had ended up being called at six this morning, while she'd still been sleeping after having spent the better half of the night with her brothers and was told that she had to be at the store to open up with the manager by seven.

She'd made it, but probably looked like she'd been hit by a freight train, considering that she'd been grilled by the manager, Arnold Whyte, to not be up late partying so she at least looked respectable when she came to work. She had tried to explain about Bobby but the stupid prick didn't even want to know, telling her that it was just another lame excuse that had been used over and over again and that it wouldn't cut it.

"Girl, you look like shit." Mari grinned weakly at her fellow checkout girl and friend of three years, Isabelle, giving her a look that clearly told her that she felt like it to and didn't really want to be working at the moment.

"Have you been eating right? Usually you have a packet of Jaffas with you or something like that." Watching as Isabelle sat down on a bunch of crates just behind her register, Mari shook her head.

"Don't start. I'm fine. I've just been busy; work, wrestling, dancing, Bobby," she answered, folding her arms over her chest. She'd told everyone that she'd quit smoking, but the last few days, she'd been craving one so bad that when she got off at twelve, she was definitely having one, maybe two- anything to get the stress off her back for a few minutes.

"Hey, I wasn't starting. You just took offence to what I had said, that is all," Isabelle quipped, hands held up in surrender. Mari sighed.

"Something is bugging you, and it ain't Bobby, I can tell. Look, we got a break in fifteen minutes, wanna tell me outside, away from prying ears?" Mari turned around as Isabelle looked over her shoulder and found a number of their co-workers trying to listen in on their conversation.  
"Deal," Mari replied and went back to serving the customers.

- - -

Jeff didn't really expect Matt to believe him that the woman last night had been Mari, and now it was bugging him, beyond words. What had happened to her? She looked so- so different, especially considering that the Mari the boys had known had never worn a skirt, hell, she'd worn a pair of jeans underneath her junior prom dress. It was cute, because Shannon had taken her as his date. His girlfriend, well at least that was what many people thought at the time, Crystal was over in Europe and Shan had stayed behind during a break up period, trying to focus on getting a leg up in wrestling at the time.

"Hey Jeffro, how's it hanging buddy?" Looking up from where he was playing with his breakfast, Jeff smiled lopsidedly at his friend bedraggled appearance. He hadn't even bothered to really worry about how he looked, then again, when did Shannon ever care about his looks? Mm.  
"Not bad, if I was a monkey," he joked back.

- - -

Sitting outside the back of the supermarket, Mari gratefully tore the wrapping off her pack of cigarettes. Pulling one out, she glanced at Isabelle as she sat down beside her and held the packet out to her, trying to find the lighter that she always kept handy on her person, even though she hadn't smoked in about a year, it was just a habit Mari had gotten herself into.

"Hey, I thought you quit?" Belle asked, looking up as she took a smoke, only just realising that it was Mari who had offered her one.

She shrugged in answer. "Stressed. Can ya blame me, Belle?" Belle shook her head in response. "Exactly." Placing the smoke between her lips, she lit it and breathed in deep, loving the taste and savoured it. A year. How had she gone so long without one? Pulling it away from her mouth, she sighed, letting a puff of smoke out and leaning her head back against the wall.

"Now. What is riding you up the wall this morning?" Belle questioned, looking at her friend as she let out a puff of smoke.

Mari sighed heavily. "I ran into Jeff last night-" she paused, expecting to have her start shouting or something along those lines.

"Whoa! He still as hot as what he was in high school. I haven't watched wrestling since graduation and the boys put it on. Jeff looked so hot in that one, and you were such a cutie hanging off his arm," Belle remarked with a knowing smile.

Mari snorted. "I never should have let them touch those tapes."

"Look at the bright side though, you didn't have to worry about people judging you and most of the guys wanted to beat up Jeff after finding-"  
"Stop reminding me! I was so ready to beat the shit out of him last night, but instead I decided to challenge him to a dance off.

And in answer to your question, yes, he is still as hot as ever- he has longer hair." Mari and Belle had met when she had moved to Atlanta, Georgia and started school. It hadn't been the best of times in Mari's life considering the fact that she was the ultimate reject. Coming from the North Carolina, she'd fitted in easily because people down their were more accepting. However, once she got to Atlanta, she had become isolated and without a friend.

Belle was like the girl who you loved to hate in high school; cheerleader, popular, jock for a boyfriend, and even brains, but it was something that had drawn Belle to Mari and so forth. Mari was like her quiet friend at first, hiding away when the boyfriend was there and things like that. Belle however didn't leave Mari out on her own, that was when she'd met Danielle and the girls. They were high school dropouts trying to make it big in a pretty rough place. Over the years, they'd all become pretty close and Mari knew that they would be there for her, no matter what.

"Sounds like you don't hate him as much as you say, you do. Why else would you be admitting that he is still good looking?"

Rolling her eyes, Mari looked at Belle with a peeved expression. "Just because I admit that he has kept his looks over the years, doesn't mean that I don't hate him as much as I did all those years ago."

Belle snorted and laughed a little. "Whatever you say Mari. We gonna hit the gym later?"

Mari shrugged in response, not knowing whether she would feel up to it or not later on.


	3. Chapter 3

_short, but leads into the next chapter which will be a very funny one, promise. see jeff try and dance ballet. hope you like._

- - -

**CHAPTER THREE**

Belle had managed to talk her into hitting the gym with her after work and once she had changed in the backseat of Belle's car, with her right beside her doing the exact same thing on the side of the road, Mari had convinced herself that she would be able to work out some of the tension in her muscles for the next show- that was three days away.  
"So, did ya send in your application?" Belle questioned.

Imari glanced at her, quirking an eyebrow. "Which one? There are two."  
Belle gave her a look that told her to not be a smartass about it and just answer the question. "Alright! Both of them," she snapped when Mari pretended that she couldn't hear her.

"Yeah. Despite that it took Josh dragging me to the post office to do so," Mari told her friend, smiling a little weakly. "I really want the main one, but I don't mind being a dance teacher. I love working with the kids."  
"But you love to wrestle. Imagine if the WWE did accept you. You'd be able to pay for everything. Hospital bills. A studio. Everything, baby girl."

Mari looked down as she thought about the truth in Belle's words. She wanted to wrestle for the WWE, she always had, but being the 'semi-adopted' sister of the Hardy Boyz, being that she had particularly lived with them growing up as a kid, until… She rolled her eyes at her stupidity.

"Come on, I wanna see if there is a dance class on. Or a kids class I can teach. They love letting me teach," she said, changing the subject as they climbed out of the car, gym bags in hand.

Belle rolled her eyes at her friend, though she couldn't disagree with her friend. The kids did love Imari when it came to being taught. She just had a fun and playful approach to it. Not a cold and tactile way like Mari's old ballet teacher had with her. Probably why she had such a straight and trim figure. However, trim wasn't the word to describe Mari at the moment. Underweight would be the one. She had been going downhill and Belle knew not to say anything less she get her head snapped off.

- - -

Well, the only class they did have was kids ballet, which was fine by Mari, at least she'd get some exercise in while helping the little ones. Pulling on the ballet shoes, Mari began to wonder just what type of exercise that Belle was going to do exactly as she watched her friend flirt with a couple of big muscly gym boys.

There were ten little girls all lined up stretching as she'd asked them to do and it made her smile as she started to stretch. Wearing only a tight light green fitting sports bra to hold her in place, and a pair of black gaucho pants.

Mari neglected to see the few men entering the gym and heading straight past the studio, even more so, she neglected to see the man stop and peer through the crack in the door to watch her as she started to teach her class.

- - -

Jeff couldn't help it. He was staring. The minute he'd taken in the long multi-toned hair pulled back to reveal the long, slender and more swanlike neck and the baby face features of his old friend had Jeff left speechless. He looked behind him to find Matt, Shannon and Greg gone and took his opportunity to slip into the door, loving the sound of '_What Hurts the Most' _by Cascada playing. He loved dancing to this, only because the beat was so fast. Her back was to and he dropped his bag near the door as he pushed the door shut, not wanting his brother to catch him in here, knowing it would only create a disaster because of Mari truly being here.

Jeff didn't miss the way her body moved fluidly as she danced for the little girls lined up who all followed her actions only a few seconds later.

- - -

Mari smiled as she watched the girls try and copy her as she moved.

The hair on the back of her neck stood up suddenly and she shivered and lost her balance, rolling her ankle in the process. Landing with a thud on the floor, she nearly swore, but saved herself when the girls surrounded her. A second or two later and she felt a hand on grip her ankle and a warm heat spread from the contact. Glancing up, Mari found Jeff fiddling with her ankle.

"You alright?"

She pulled from his grip and made to stand up. It was sore, but what was new, she was always sore. A hand went to grip her arm, but she moved away from him. "I'm fine. Go away, now."

The arrogant smirk that spread across Jeff's face at her words had Mari's brow creasing a little in worry. What was he going to do? "Nah, I think I'll give this a try," he replied, waving her off as he kicked off his shoes and stripped off his t-shirt so he was left in a white ribbed singlet and a pair of blue Adidas track pants.

"What?!" she screeched. "You. Ballet. You're a joke and a half, Hardy. Last time I saw you try and dance ballet, you fell flat on you a-r-s-e." She laughed a little as she watched him start to stretch. What was he trying to prove? It wasn't a challenge because she could out dance him in ballet any day, she knew that and he probably did, he was just being a stubborn jackass.


	4. Chapter 4

_Thanks for the reviews. Really appreciated. Hope you like this chapter._

- - -

**CHAPTER FOUR**

Jeff stood in line between two of the little girls, a smirk on his face as he watched Mari's arse while she walked up the line. She definitely had lost the weight and toned up. It was funny because she could rival Michelle McCool with the rack she had and the body. He knew that she had never been unendowed when it came to her chest, but Jeff had never really paid too much attention to that side of Imari- until now.

When Mari showed them how to do a move, the name of which escaped him entirely, he tried to copy it and started to laugh at how gay he probably looked.

The little girl in front of him turned around and glared at him. He playfully glared back until a hand swatted his arm. Looking at Mari he grinned sarcastically at her and grabbed her by the waist, picking her up with little effort and spun her around like he'd seen on commercials for ballet performances a few times. Hey, he did take things in, may not have remembered them until it served his purpose, but he did take things in.

A loud response of giggle's had Jeff grinning, but he knew Mari wouldn't find things so funny. Setting her down, he watched her tell the girls to start to pack up just before she turned to face him, a glare that could send even the toughest of guys cowering back to their mums, tails between their legs, but not Jeff. He was too defiant and loved the challenge. At least he'd get to talk to her.

"You're a real piece of work, ya know that!" she said through gritted teeth, shoving him in the chest. "Do you think that you can just walk in here, screw around and everything will be fine between us!"

He shrugged. "Think again, buddy! You know what, for the past eleven years I've been wanting to kill you the minute I laid my eyes on you!"  
"But you can't. How are the boys?" he asked, seemingly not bothered by what she was saying.

A sudden squeal of irritation came out of the petite woman just before she slapped him. Grabbing her bag, she left the dance studio. Jeff stood there for a minute or so before he rushed after her, grabbing his bag as he went.

- - -

Mari dumped her bag in the change room before she headed towards the treadmills and started up, turning her music up to max and then climbed on. The hair's on the back of her neck stood up suddenly and she rolled her eyes, believing Jeff to have been the one to be near her. Turning sharply, ready to tell him to go and get fucked, but forgot that she was on the treadmill and shrieked when she slipped.

A pair of arms caught her suddenly and saved her from hitting the ground, pulling her to her feet. Pulling her headphones out, she looked up, now ready to thank her saviour, knowing that it wasn't Jeff because of the shorts the guy was wearing.

"Than-" The sight of the man in front of her made her eyes widened in partial surprise upon meeting the large smile of WWE's own current World Heavyweight Champion, John Cena. "- thank you."

"No sweat."

- - -

Jeff had nearly found Mari, when he saw a sight that he truly wished he hadn't have; Mari flirting with one of the one guys that he never got on with backstage RAW. John Cena. "Hey Jeffro, where were ya and why is your cheek red?" Matt asked, putting a hand on his shoulder as both he and Shannon approached them.

"Ah- I ran into the door. Wasn't watching where I was going," he lied. He saw nothing but red. Cena was friends with Orton and he hated them both. What's more, he hated seeing Mari talking with Cena like she hadn't just told him off and then slapped him. God, he knew she held grudges, but he didn't think that she still hate him after eleven years.

- - -

"So, drinks, at my place," she told the man standing before with a bright smile. She'd gone from a good start, to a bad patch and back to a brilliant day.

"Eight o'clock. See ya then." Watching him walk off, she jumped when arms wrapped around her without warning and picked her up into a giant bear hug.

"Oh, I can't believe it!" Looking up into the face of one Matt Hardy, she hadn't expected him to be here and the sight of him had her suddenly worried. That meant Jeff would be close by. Had he seen her flirting with John?

So what if he had. The opportunity to chat up Cena had been too good too be true. Sure, she didn't like his on screen personality, but man he did have one hell of a body. She liked muscles on a guy, not too overdone like what he use to be or what Batista still was like, but cuddly made her stomach twist into knots. It was so nice to be cuddled.

"Hey Matty," she said.

"Couldn't believe it truly was you when Jeff mumbled it," he replied. She rolled her eyes. Of course.

- - -

After getting away from Matt, she headed for the women's change room and pulled on a wife rib singlet over her sports bra, left her gaucho pants and converse sneakers on. She just wanted a relaxing day at home, after she went to check on Bobby.

The encounter with Jeff hadn't gone well, then again last night hadn't either so she expected nothing less. But hey- she got a date after being saved from a nasty spill.

She had mostly done it just to spite Jeff, knowing that it would really give him a ride if she ignored him and paid attention to the likes of Cena. Hey, the dimples were cute, and besides - if tonight didn't go well, she never had to see him after that.

Stopping in front of the hospital, she took note of her brother's cars parked in the lot for visitors. She hated cars. Loved bikes, and hated cars. There was something about riding on a bike that gave her a sense of freedom from the real world.

Smiling at the nurse behind the desk, she made sure it was still visiting hours and headed up the stairs to where her brother was on the third floor. Never took the elevator, preferred the exercise of walking up stairs.

- - -

Bobby was grateful that his sister had come to see him, even if had only been for a few minutes. Of course, she had been in a rush, she wanted to get home and rest for a few hours, try and get a little bit of sleep.

However, Josh cornered her outside the door and she knew immediately that he could smell the smoke on her and lowered her gaze.

"What's got you stressed enough that you started back up?" he asked.

"A lot of things. The job apps. Everything. Whether Bobby is going to pull through all of this. And I just want to forget seeing him again today," she said the last part before realising that she'd let it go.

It didn't take long before Josh caught onto it. "Forget seeing him? Who the hell is _'him'_?"

"Jeff Hardy." The look on Josh's face may have been priceless - eyes wide open and mouth agape - but at the moment Mari didn't exactly feel up to joking about it. "I'll tell you all about it later. Right now, I just want to go home, lay down in the air conditioning and go to sleep. I haven't been able to sleep well for a few nights."

"Fine, but I'm call later and I want answers, got it sis?" She nodded vigorously before she disappeared round the corner and out of Josh's sight.

- - -

Laying down in the bath, Mari felt all the muscles in her body tense at the heat before they slowly started to relax. She'd had a cold shower before hand and then decided to soak herself. It felt nice and the bubbles covering her made her grin, just before she held her breath and slipped underneath the water.

Resurfacing, she pushed her hair back and sighed heavily, letting the heavy beat of Killswitch Engage lull her into a completely relaxed and very comfy state. After a few minutes, or what it only felt like, she glanced at the Ipod docking station to check the eye. She nearly flipped when she realised she had fallen asleep for about an hour and a half.

Climbing out of the bath, she grabbed her towel and wrapped it around herself before heading for her bedroom to find something to wear for tonight, not that she was going to get all dressy or anything, but still nice effort that it would make him think that she wasn't the person who had been on the dance floor last night, dressed up like a hooker in training.

She decided on just a pair of denim loose hanging cargo shorts and a black wife beater. She even put on the plainest underwear she had.

Damn, she really was trying hard to not let anyone take a real interest in her, even if it meant that she was cheating herself of a relationship, she didn't need one, especially with all that was going on at the moment.

This was a just little release night for her and she was happy that John had been the one to ask her, however she hadn't wanted to bother with going out, so it was just a night at home with what she would class as a new friend and a possible future major friend if she made it into the WWE.

_But it all depended on how tonight went_ she reminded herself just as she heard a knock at the door.


	5. Chapter 5

_finally got an update for everyone. hope ya like it. Review please.  
_

- - -

**CHAPTER FIVE**

Imari stood behind the door, her hand on the handle. She couldn't believe that she was really doing this. Seeing her reflection in the mirror, she grimaced a little and quickly pulled her fuzzy mess of hair up into a ponytail, letting her white blonde and black fringe hang into her eyes and pieces frame her face. Hey, it wasn't a neat style, but it was Mari; plain and simple. Taking one last breath, she opened the door and stuck her head around the corner. "Hey."

She met a smiling John Cena and waved for him to come inside. "Are you always this eager to get a guy into your apartment?"

Her cheeks went bright red in colour at his words before shaking her head. "No. I just, don't like the neighbours and they love to talk about things that don't concern them. A lot."

He chuckled a little as she headed for the kitchen. "You can take off your shoes," she called and he kicked them off, putting them down by the door. Walking into what he gathered was the lounge room, John was surprised to find so many pictures covering the walls. Stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jeans as he looked them over one by one, there was pictures of who he gathered was Mari as a child, a few family photos some included a number of boys and what looked like Imari's mother by the resemblance between the pair.

However, it was an old black and white photo that caught his attention.  
With a hint of disdain in his voice, Cena spoke: "So you know the Hardy Boys?" Motioning to the picture that had caught his eye when she just gave him a look that told him she didn't really want to go anywhere near that subject. He however, pushed her into answering. "Old friends? Boyfriend?"

"Boyfriend? God no! I grew up with them. Actually- they were my best friends. But- I knew them, I haven't talked to them in years and I'm grateful for it too," she remarked handing him a beer. "It weren't exactly the greatest end to a friendship."

John noticed the way she spoke. She certainly was a Southern girl. He sat down on the couch, opening up his beer while he watched her sink down into the single seater, her own beer in hand. "Not even a little bit of information on it?" he prodded, now even more intrigued than ever about the young woman's past.

"I don't like talking about it, nor do I actually even like remembering it. So- what about you? You're like one of the most sort after guys in the world. Did you ever think you'd become so great?" she questioned, trying to steer him off the subject.

John smiled and relaxed back into the couch. "When did this turn into a shoot interview?"

She went a little red and shrugged. "Its not an interview. I'm just curious. You're like one of the top headliners on RAW. Must be fun. To be so well known. And not wrestling in gyms and run-down halls," she explained and looked down. "Like I do."

John watched her for a moment. "It isn't all that great at times. I mean come on. I have never tried to be better than I am."

"Oh! If that isn't the biggest ego boosting line in the world, I don't know what is," she said, laughing at his look of mock hurt. She got up and walked over to the two seater that he was sitting on. He scooted over a little and she curled up on the opposite end to him, resting her head on her knee. "Sorry, but you kinda left that one open."

"Alright, so I do get an ego boost most of the time, but can ya blame me. I'm a multiple WWE World Champion, I am a movie star, I have kids wanting to grow up to be me, I am a sing-"

"You're a rapper. Not a singer, doll," she remarked, pointing a figure at him.

"Oh, okay. I'm not a singer, I'm a wrapper."

As she sat there watching him, Mari decided that John Cena wasn't half as bad as she thought he would be in person. "So, what do you want to do after WWE?" she asked.

"What are you hoping to achieve through your wrestling career?" he countered and she smiled a little.

Shrugging, she told him it was no big deal, but he of course decided to reverse her pushiness and wouldn't stop until she finally spoke the truth. "Okay. I want to wrestle for the WWE and use the money to help my brother, get a bigger place for me and my bros and I want to open a good dance studio for kids and stuff."

"So have you tried out for the company?" he pressed.

"I sent them some stuff this morning, but I don't think they'll like me as much in person. I mean as if they are going to hire a tomboy, redneck to be one of their gorgeous divas. I'm ugly compared to them, and I ain't afraid to say it either," she answered. John chuckled and then set his beer on the table. Leaning closer to her, Mari leaned her head down, not really sure what he was doing. "I don't see an ugly girl. I see a really pretty young woman," he murmured to her, taking hold of her chin and making her look up at him. "And I wouldn't mind getting to know her a little more, or even get a kiss from her."

She blushed bright red at that and tried to look down, however he held her fast and leaned forward, pressing his lips to hers gently as he leaned his weight on his free arm, using the lounge to help him move closer to her as Mari leaned in towards him making the kiss turn a little more forceful. So much for just drinks. Boy though, did he move quick.

She figured that Cena was a smooth guy when it came to women, but she hadn't figured out that he was attracted to her. Her soft moan apparently seemed to urge him on and Mari's eyes flew wide open when she heard the front door open.

"What the-"

Josh and Mike stood in the doorway and she quickly pulled away from Cena. "Mari, what are you doing making out with some wannabe Cena look-alike?" Mike asked.

Mari gave them both a look that said to _'shut up before I kill you both'_. "Josh, Mike meet John Cena. John Cena I would like you to meet my dimwit brothers, Beavus and Butthead," she introduced, smirking at her brothers as John chuckled a little.

"Nice to meet ya both," he said, standing up and holding a hand out to the pair, both who accepted the handshake and glanced at Mari.

"So, wanna answer the question of; _'What were you doing making out with him?'_. You told us you hated him."

Groaning as she bit her lip and slapped a hand to her forehead, the petite woman blushed bright red at her new friend when he looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "I don't like you on-screen all that much. Well, that was until I got to meet ya. I'm sorry."

"No worries. I've gotten a lot worse-a comments, so I'm not taking any offence, and yeah I forgive you," he replied. She breathed in deeply and then let it all out.

Josh and Mike held up some bags filled with food and asked if John wanted to stay for dinner. Imari was a little taken back when he accepted, having not exactly had the opportunity to offer him to stay in the first place. God, she was making a complete fool of herself.

- - -

As Josh cooked, Mike was laying on the couch watching the 2009 Royal Rumble on DVD. He loved this one, only because he had always wanted to participate in a WWE Royal Rumble, even if he didn't win, he just wanted to be in one.

Imari stood in the bathroom, washing her face, trying to calm down her nerves while John watched the Rumble with Mike.

She came into the kitchen and noticed that Mike and John were really getting into the Rumble. With a smile she stepped up close to her oldest brother and stole a piece of carrot from the cutting board. "What is he doing here?" he whispered.

"I invited him," she replied, just as low. "Just because he was kissing me, doesn't mean you need to go and get all defensive big brother on him."  
Josh scoffed and pulled a face at her. "When he is gone, you are gonna tell me what exactly has happened today?" he told her. "Did you send those things in?"

"Yes, I did," she answered and snatched a full carrot from the bag.

"Would you get out of my kitchen?!" he shouted at her, turning her towards the lounge room and whacking her on the butt with the spoon he'd picked up. She yelped and glowered at him, ducking out of range of him stealing her carrot. Smiling around her carrot she walked into the lounge room and fell down on top of her brother.

"Eh, what's up Doc?" she questioned playfully, taking a bite out of her carrot as Mike groaned.

"Ah!" he whined. "Bony butt! You're getting heavy!"

Imari glared at her second eldest brother and hit him as she got off. "You big fat ogre. At least I don't look like Shrek on steroids," she grumbled back and sat down next to John, putting her feet up on the coffee table next to his.

While she was eating, she felt something brush lightly over the back of her hand which was resting between them. Glancing at John, she could see a smile tugging at his lips and before she grinned a little at how daring he seemed to be. Well, at least he wasn't trying to make out with her in front of her brother. He slid his hand up her arm and onto her thigh as he shifted a little closer to her and she glanced at him. "Shrek on steroids?"

"Well, what do you expect. My brother has ogre green coloured hair," she murmured to him.

She swallowed when he nodded as she spoke and leaned in to kiss her lightly on the lips. "Mm. I'm just trying to picture it," he remarked, glancing at her brother and then rubbing her thigh lightly.

Oh yeah, he definitely was a smooth one.


	6. Chapter 6

**_Hope you like. Review please._**

- - -**_  
_**

**CHAPTER** **SIX**

Sitting at the table quietly as Josh spoke to John, Mari tried her best not to shout at her brother as he started telling him stories of when they'd been younger and a lot more in touch with their _wild sides_.

"It was what, 88? You and Shan were like nine then. We'd gone down to the local swimming hole, and what's his name- Mat- Martin Gladwell. That's it. He was in mine and Jeff's form. Uptight rich snob of a prick, decided to make fun of Mari here because of he-"

"My weight and height," she remarked, glancing at the superstar and then back down at her plate which was barely full compared to the other three.

"Yeah, and when he started shoving her, well Jeff dove in and stuck up for her. Gave the kid a busted lip, black eye and a few bruised ribs. Sent him through a fence."

Mari into her seat. "Josh. No more Hardy stories at the moment please," she told him.

"Fine," he retorted.

John grinned. "At least he give me us stuff on what you were like as a kid." She nudged him lightly in the calf and nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt his hand on her thigh. Quickly lowering her head to her plate, she went back to eating.

"I don't need you to be making fun of me when we only just met," she told him in reply. Laughter followed her words.

- - -

After eating John said he had to go cause he had an early start in the morning and after saying goodbye to both of her brothers, Mari led him out into the hallway and shut the door behind her. He turned to look at her and she was once again taken back by his quick action of pulling her into a kiss. Man, he'd only just met her. She wasn't use to that type of close contact, especially when it came from someone like him. Mari pulled back a little. "Sorry…"

"No. It's alright really. I'm just not use to well- I'm not use to relationships. Lasted one week and wasn't exactly the greatest relationship…" she trailed off and shrugged.

"So, can I see you again?" he asked.

She smiled and nodded. "Yeah. I can meet you tomorrow- if you're not too busy."

"Tomorrow. You could come to the venue. I gotta run through a few things with the Animal and after that I'm done for the day, so we could always catch a movie?"

"I like the sound of that. See you tomorrow at noon then." He leaned forward and since she expected it this time, she met him half way, kissing him gently before quickly disappearing back into the apartment.

- - -

"So, spill it," Josh ordered after they'd all settled in for the night. Mari was curled up on the couch, a large blanket covering her while Josh sat on the other end of the couch.  
Mari glanced at him. "Spill what?"

"Don't play dumb. It don't work on me know more. Now, you and Cena? What is the deal between ya?"

"Nothing. I met him at the gym today and asked him out- well he asked me first," she answered, while Josh grabbed one of her booted feet and started playing with it.

"Oh really. Mm, seems to me like you wanted something more than just a date," Josh remarked as Mike glanced at his siblings.

"Josh!" she squealed suddenly, realising what he meant. "God! I have more on my mind than sex at the moment."  
"Yeah, like those contracts!" he retorted sharply back to her, though it was in simply jest. "So, you did send them, right?"

She sighed heavily and nodded. "Yes I did. Can we drop it though?" Josh grimaced a little. He knew his baby sister and he knew her well, but when it came to hiding things Imari was an incredible liar. Even her brothers had the toughest of times trying to get things out of her. None of the Clapp family were all that open to the world. They knew that keeping their private lives private was better than dealing with media attention, especially with how much stuff was occurring around them.

"Alright. So- you seeing him again?" Mike inquired, flicking the channel over to something more interesting than cartoons. It landed on a movie; _Kull The Conqueror_.

Imari went a little red in the cheeks, nodding a little. "Yes. I am going to see him again. With or without your approval," she answered.

"There is something more to this than just him asking you out, Mari."

"Yeah, she saw Jeff," Josh told his brother.

"Are you kidding me?! You actually let him walk away with beating the crap out of him?" Mike asked, turning to face them both fully now. Mari lifted one shoulder, the look on her face clearly saying that she didn't want to talk about it. The only difference between Imari and her brothers was that they were liked to know everything that was happening in each other's lives, especially Mari's and she preferred to keep things like this on their own.

- - -

Jeff lay prone on the stretcher as Matt finally pushed him up over the line that had been marked on the ramp. He was barely able to think straight after the hit across his forehead had knocked him senseless. Laying across the stretcher he felt Matt push it back down the ramp. The EMTs ended up coming down to help him backstage. As he lay on the medical table and let the doctor check him over, Jeff thought back to Imari.

His heartbeat quickened a little at the thought of her in that tight shirt, dancing around like a Prima ballerina. The only thing he wanted to do right now was find Cena and teach him a lesson. Where the hell did he get off coming onto a girl who was, figuratively speaking, not his type. Jeff had seen the women Cena dated. And if the Mari he'd screwed around with this morning was the same one that he'd once treated like a kid sister then one of them was only doing this to annoy him.

He knew then that it had to be Imari because Cena didn't know that the pair of them were even old friends. He probably did now.

"Hey buddy, how ya feelin'?" Matt asked from where he was sitting on a bed on the other side of the room, ice packs covering his leg, numbing some of the pain that had nearly crippled him out in the ring.

"Sore, but I'll live," Jeff replied and watched Matt nod and smile.

"So- Imari looked nice. Really skinny, but nice," Matt told his little brother. Jeff just shut his eyes and rolled onto his back, happy to let the EMT cover his back with heat packs for a little while. "Wonder how she lost all that weight?"

"Probably starving herself," Jeff muttered back. Imari had never been a skinny kid. Chubby would be the best way to describe the childhood and teenage Imari. They had never been mean to her. Matt had even tried to help her, but everything they did hadn't seemed to work and in the end she'd given up. Jeff had never cared about how she had looked, but his friends in school had. That was probably why Shannon was her only friend inside the school. He'd always felt bad about what they'd called her and even tried to stop it a number of times, but they hadn't let off with the teasing. "I should've stopped them that night, shouldn't I?" he inquired softly, suddenly feeling more than a little guilty about what had happened that night.

"What's in the past, Jeffro, is in the past," Matt commented as they tossed the packs onto their beds and left the room, limping slightly but still walking.

- - -

Mari collapsed down onto her bed, tugging the three large blankets up to her neck to warm her small frame up she tucked them in close and dragged the pillow down until she was nearly covered from head to toe by them. She hated the cold which was another reason why she disliked not having someone to cuddle up with. Sighing, she listened to the light, very light thudding of P.O.D playing beside her bed.

Imari loved to hate herself. Why because, while she liked the way she looked and loved being her herself, it was always a downfall to reaching her dreams. She was so easy to bruise and injure. Her entire life she'd been in and out of hospitals, medical centres, doctor's offices.

Every year, she would get injured, like clockwork. Her latest mishap being her ankle today when she'd been dancing. Why had she let herself get so worked up over him being there? Because Mari held grudges even if only minor, she still held them and god forbid the people she held them against. Jeff being the only true grudge that had her blood boiling at just the mention of their history together. Sure, people make mistakes, but what happened that night was unforgivable in her eyes. Her brothers agreed that if they ever caught Jeff, they'd give him a beating, even if it meant taking on the rest of their old friends in the process.

Hell, Jeff would deserve it.

Groaning heavily, she rolled over beneath the blanket and buried herself in deep, finally falling into a sleep. Even if it was a restless one.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Long time no update. Hope you all enjoy it- short but I promise the next chapter will be longer. You'll finally get to know what Mari sent off.**_

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

Imari sighed as she put an ice pack over Mike's crotch and a pack on Josh's left eye. Their tag match hadn't gone well, they'd won but they were pretty banged up. "You look like hell, sis."

She pulled a face at her brother. Her date with John had been held off because she'd been called in for a show, but it was the fact that she hadn't been able to get a good nights sleep in the past few days because she'd been stressing over everything; Bobby, work, and whether or not she would get a response from sending those things in.

Dropping down onto the couch between her two brothers, she was there for only a second before the doorbell rang and she had to get up again. When she stood up, Josh noticed how tired she looked and wished he could help her, but the only thing that really worried him about his little sister was the fact that she was barely eating. Anyone close to them had noticed the rapid weight loss and she was barely the Imari they all knew and loved.

Opening up the door, without bothering to look to see who it was, she was shocked to find John standing there. They weren't in town. "Hi."

Despite being exhausted, she smiled back. "Hey. What are you doing here?"

"Wow, didn't know I was going to get that reception," he commented, chuckling slightly.

She blushed brightly and heard Josh come up behind her. "Hey John."

"Josh."

"Sorry- I had a moment of mental brain fry," she chuckled nervously before stepping aside to let him in. Josh shook hands with him. As her brother turned away, John kissed her cheek gently which made her smile tiredly up at him.

"Sorry."

"No worries. You don't look so good."

"Damn!" Mike cried in jest, "Ya really know how ta insult a gal."

John chuckled and shook his head at the man as he held ice over his aching crotch. She put her hand over his arm and told him to sit down. "So- why'd come here on a night like tonight?" Josh queried, watching as Mari took the ice pack from Mike so she could replace it with more ice. "You could be out partyin' yet ya come here?"

John grinned slightly as his eyes followed Mari the entire time. "Well- actually I came to see if Mari wanted to come out on the town with me?" He was asking Mari the question while explaining it to Josh who just raised an eyebrow at the Massachusetts born wrestler.

Mari glanced between John and her brothers and was about to object only Mike spoke before she could. "She'd love to," he remarked. "Go get changed sis. Quick move it."

- - -

Mari changed from her track pants and singlet to a pair of white denim jeans with a black belt and a blue v-neck long sleeved top with an attached undershirt. Shoes- she pulled on a pair of old ballet shoes, slightly worried that people would make fun of them but brushed it off. Really who was even going to care once she was sitting down.

- - -

The club John took her to was packed and a lot of people seemed to know exactly who John was and stopped for autographs and pictures. John kept her close and when they got up to the VIP section, Mari wished Mike had shut his big mouth earlier on. Sitting with a number of the WWE roster was Jeff who seemed to have not noticed them. That was good.

"John, I- I don't want to do this," she told him trying to stop him.

"Come on, you don't have to sit near him."

She shook her head. "No, I just- John please," she pleaded and sighed when a large arm wrapped around her.

"Well, well, well. I'm favourite little southern baby." It was Matt. He was also drunk. Imari fought against him, to little avail as he dragged her towards where Jeff was sitting.

"Matt let me go!" she demanded.

"Nah, nah, nah. You gotta come say hello to the rest of the group." When he got to them, Mari's attention immediately went to Jeff who looked up at them. She saw him give her a look before glancing back to the woman sitting beside him.

"Look who I found hanging out with Super Cena."

"Yeah, Super Cena," John muttered as he elbow Matt slightly.

The older man pulled a mean face before sitting down and pulling Mari down to sit on the side that wasn't occupied by Jeff. She smiled as John sat down beside her but didn't realise the mistake that Matt had made by doing this.

- - -

John had gone and gotten them a round of drinks and Matt, who clearly was lacking any clear thinking, decided to start a conversation with the two people on either side of him who had been shooting each other filthy looks most of the night since Mari and John had arrived. "Mari, did you even say 'ello to your old friend?" Matt asked, half slurring his words.

She sneered when Jeff looked at her and spoke: "No, she didn't and I don't expect her to."

"What's that suppose to mean?!"

"What do you think?" he shot back, smirking. Matt leaned back, putting his hands up to say he wasn't getting involved in the banter. "You'd prefer the jacked up walking ape that is Cena over us now so why would you want to talk to the people who made you."

"What?!" she replied, scowling. "If you think that then you are just like the rest of the kids we went to school with. A red neck thumb sucking fuck who could never amount to anything worthwhile."

Matt opened his mouth but Jeff just growled. "Never amount to anything? I followed my dreams. I'm known worldwide by millions of people. If anything you're the one who never amounted to anything!"

The pair stood up and this time Matt did step in. "Okay- you've both said you're little parts now I should apologize for putting ya near one another."

"No!" Mari snapped. "I'm sorry for ever thinking that Jeff Hardy was different to the jack ass friends he had!" With that Mari was gone and Jeff was slightly taken back by what she had said.

"At-"

"Can it, Jeffro. Let her go, save both of yourselves a world of embarrassment," Matt said and gave him a look that just told him to sit down and forget it.

- - -

John saw Mari leaving and without a second thought followed her. "Mari! Wait!"

"Why?! All men are the same!" she shouted back as she walked down the street. John didn't understand what she meant and asked her. "You!" She turned suddenly and hit his chest with her hand. "The only men I can trust are my brothers! I've buried everything deep down for so long and I will never be able to forgive him for what he- they all did!"

John caught her wrist when she made to hit him again. He watched her hang her head and sniffle. She was crying.

"What happened?" he asked into her hair.

She shook her head. "Ugh- don't even pretend you care. Look I can walk home, I appreciate you trying but I'm not the girl you're looking for- believe me," she told him, pulling away and starting to walk off.

He bit the inside of his cheek as he thought about what she had said.

- - -

Josh and Mike both jumped when the door was slammed shut behind a fuming Imari. Both of them stayed quiet as they watched her head for her room. She slammed her bedroom door and Josh groaned before getting up. He knocked on the door softly. "Sis."

"Go away," she breathed heavily through the door. All tonight had done, all Jeff's words had done was drag up memory's she didn't want to remember.

"Come on honey."

"I just want to forget it."

"Did John-"

"It wasn't John. It was Jeff and no I don't want to talk about it. I'm just going to bed," she told Josh through the door. He sighed before saying goodnight and leaving her alone.


	8. Chapter 8

**So you all wanted to know what happened, well, here in this very chapter explains some of it but not everything entirely. Hope you enjoy and am so sorry about how long it is has been since I got this chapter out but I seriously couldn't work out what would be a good way to make it realistic, so let me know if it was good or not.**

**PS Not a Cena fan. Am using him for a reason later down track though.  
**

**

* * *

Chapter Eight**

She'd been so embarrassed the next morning that when John had called and asked to talk to her, she'd refused to take the phone from Mike. It'd killed her when Mike had put the phone on loudspeaker and made her listen as John had said, or really stuttered, that it was fine and he hoped she felt better soon.

Sitting in the dance studio, a week later, she slowly stretched out while half listening as the girls round her all chatted. "So how was your date with that mass o' muscle last week?"

"Huh?" Mari replied.

"Didn't you know that you and he got snapped while outside the club?" one of the blondes, an aspiring ROH wrestling valet, explained to Imari who shook her head.

"The press said that he was one of the most sort after wrestlers, and you dearie are the one who they want to know about," another blonde commented.

Imari shrugged. She didn't really care, she just wanted to forget. John didn't need someone like her around. So far, no one else knew about Jeff and the little disagreement inside the club and right now she didn't want to begin to even think about what some people would say. She always kept her temper in check and so hearing about something like what had happened in the club would probably seem impossible. Only Josh and Mike knew, Bobby didn't need to. She loved her little brother and so she didn't want to drag things up.

"So any word on when you two will be going out again?"

"I'm not going out with him again."

"Why?"

"Cause we're complete opposites."

Her friends looked at her. "What do you mean?"

She sighed, stopped stretching and crossed her legs. "He likes hip hop, action and he's perfect. I'm a metal girl, horror and gore girl and I have the most messed up life at the moment. Things would never work out."

"You really think that?" Imari nodded.

"I know that."

* * *

She'd been sixteen at the time. It'd been Jeff's last night in Cameron before he headed into the big leagues with the WWE permanently. He and Mari had agreed to go out on the town just for one last time together.  
_  
"So, you gonna miss me when I'm gone?" he asked playfully, smiling down at her._

_She returned it and nodded. "Of course I will Jeff." He wrapped an arm around her shoulders pulling her in close to him which made her nervously look away._

_"Good. Cause I'm gonna miss ya as well Ari." They'd been heading back after the movies, to the Hardy house where Mari would be staying the night when a car pulled up alongside them. It was Jeff's 'buddies'. They asked if Jeff wanted to join them and he'd climbed onto the back of the truck. "Wait-" Imari looked around awkwardly. She hadn't been invited and Mari knew that she couldn't go with them, especially since none of the others liked her. "I can't leave Imari."_

_All the boys shared this one look as Jeff smiled reassuringly at Imari and helped her up onto the back of the truck beside him..._

"Hey, you okay?" Imari looked up at her friend as she tried to stretch out the aches in her body. "You looked like you were off in space."

Mari sighed heavily but agreed just before she heard her phone going off. Rolling her eyes at the interruption to her training, she reached over and fished the small silver item out of her bag. Flipping it open, she asked for it was.

"Is this Imari Clapp?"

"Yeah, it is. Who is this?"

"My name is David Laurantis. I'm from the WWE."

Imari's eyes nearly fell out of her head when she heard the name. "Uh- hi. Sorry about the interrogation."

Laughter followed her. "Its fine, look, we watched your tapes and all that and were wondering if you would come down to FCW and let us have a look at you in person?"

"Do I really need to answer that question?" she inquired back to which he laughed again.

"Great to see a good sense of humour on you. Well, if you could make it down by the end of this week, we would be able to get you a tryout and such."

* * *

Mikey stayed behind in Atlanta while Josh came down with Imari to Tampa. It was awkward, walking into the FCW building. It wasn't like she hadn't been to tryouts before but none were quite like this one. Shimmer had a similar setup and such but it made her wish that she could be back there and not here. At least there, she knew the girls, they liked her. Here, she wasn't quite sure what to make of the girls or the male roster for that matter.

"Ah! You know I told 'em you'd be here on time?" Mari and Josh turned round to find John walking over to them. "Hey."

Josh shook hands with John before saying he was going to go snooping round while he was here, leaving Imari and John alone and she was twisting on the spot slightly. "Hi John, look- Sorry about not returning the calls."

"It's cool. Didn't sound like you were all that happy when you left the club that night," he remarked. It was hard for Imari to explain herself without nearly dropping the bomb on what had actually happened all those years ago and so she was glad that John didn't expect her to give him excuses.

"So- where is David?"

"Round here somewhere. Excited that you got a tryout?" He smiled down at her, taking hold of her hand. "If you want- I've got the day off and well, we could sneak away for the day after your tryout."

Imari grinned at him, laughing slightly as she watched two of the FCW talent wrestling in the ring.

* * *

Her tryout went good for the most part. Due to her five foot one frame she had been put into a match against Mickie James. It had been incredible and when she finally gotten out and back into her street clothes she hadn't needed to even be told to wait for a phone call back. David said she was exactly what they were looking for. Imari had just been speechless and when John had started leading her to his car, she had been somewhat in shock of the news.

Josh had told her he'd meet her back at the hotel later and he was going hunting. Of course that generally meant he was going searching for ladies to try and impress. Josh looked like the NXT Rookie Justin Gabriel nearly but he had longer hair, it was cute cause Imari always said they could do the Angel Attraction duo on WWE if Josh ever got on there and they put Justin with the Angel moniker.

Cause Josh and he had paired up once or twice in the independents and she really did love the Justin as a brother.

"So-" John started, nudging her slightly as they walked into a café, "over the moon about it?"

She nodded and smiled at him. "Like you wouldn't believe," she said excitedly. "I just- well- I love wrestling and to be there. To know WWE actu… I'm not going to ramble about it or anything."

John chuckled. "Okay, so how about I give you a tour of Tampa then, and maybe you might like to come back to my house afterwards?"

Imari blushed heavily and just said maybe to him which made him grin a little wider.

_

* * *

"So Imari, I heard you and Shannon were going to the prom together, don't forget to wear some long heels so you can be as tall as the little pipsqueak," Garth joked. _

_Jeff just told them all to knock it off. Imari huddled in a little closer to Jeff. The truck ride was rough and she had nearly fallen out until Jeff had put his hand round her waist and held onto her, smiling when she said thank you. _

_"Fine," Garth replied, waving a hand at him. _

_The leader of the group, or really who she assumed had always been in charge, Jacob smirked at Imari when she looked up at him. She looked away shyly and right at where Jeff was playing with her fingers lightly that were resting over his hand that was on her stomach which made her smile softly._

_Jacob spoke: "So Imari, ever been to the tracks?" _

_Jeff looked up at Jacob and then down at Imari. "No, she hasn't."_

_The whole group laughed. "Well, this is a celebration then, and I'd be happy to introduce you to the tracks," Jacob said, leering at Imari like she was suddenly extremely within his reach and Jeff realized they were only so eager for one reason. _

_"No I will," he said. Imari blushed heavily despite how terrified she was. Everyone knew what the tracks were and what they meant. Shannon had been down here a few times and told her of it when they were alone at school without Jeff around and she had told Shannon about wishing Jeff would treat her like a girl over a boy._

_Jacob chuckled. "Whatever man, but don't forget to share if it is any good," he told the younger of the Hardy brothers who just looked at the girl beside him._

_The tracks were the old train station stops. There were a few small places where teenagers could go and do what they wanted. As everyone piled out, Jeff kept an arm around Imari and stayed sitting on the back of the pick-up. _

_Jacob turned to look at them when he got off and leaned against the carton of beers he had brought with him. "So- have fun, your special place is over there," he said, smirking as he pointed to the one place Jeff was already disliking the idea of going near._

_Imari looked at Jeff when Jacob disappeared. "Imari."_

_"He thinks we're going to have sex doesn't he?"_

_Jeff mutely nodded. "We aren't though. We can just stay there until I think it is safe to go where they are." He got out of the back of the pick-up and helped her down, leading her to the small old room.  
_

_Jeff sat her down on the small cot that was in small old shack type of room. "You alright? We can go home if you want?"_

_Imari just looked down as he stood in front of her. "Why don't you like me?"_

_He chuckled. "I like you Imari. Otherwise I wouldn't care so much about…" he trailed off and must've realized what she was referring to. "I love you Imari, as a sister. I don't ever want to hurt ya darlin'."_

_She nodded, fighting back the urge to cry at the knowledge he'd never think of her as anything more than a sister. _

_Jacob was never the guy Jeff had wanted Imari round and he'd only ever been nice to him because his older brother had been close friends with Matt. Now, Jeff was just wishing Jacob hadn't decided to stop and pick him up._

_It must've been about seven minutes before there was a knock on the old door. "Hey you two having fun in there? Cause we can't hear anything," Jacob called out._

_Jeff looked at Imari and whispered a play along. He called out a yes but going slow. Before Imari could say anything Jeff leaned forward and kissed her slowly, his lips easing over her in a soft kiss. That left her weak and completely clouded in judgement as he kissed her like she'd only ever dreamed about._

_He brought a hand up to her cheek and jerked his hand back when the door opened suddenly and he was pulled up by Jacob. "Come on, man you ain't even at second base yet, come on," Jacob said and pushed Jeff out of the small place before tugging Imari up. "Let's get you partying with us baby girl."_

_Only Matt or Jeff called her baby girl. Jeff grabbed her hand as they headed over to where everyone was drinking. Jeff got tossed a beer and he sat down before Imari sat in close to him. "Dude, she is like a little magnet to you," Bobby Ray told Jeff who just shrugged and put his hand on Imari's lap protectively. _

_Twenty minutes later, Jeff had downed quite a few cans and was telling some of the rudest stories she'd ever heard coming from his mouth when she said she wanted to go home. Jeff just told her ten more minutes and Imari got up and moved to sit in the back of the pick-up truck, shivering from how cold it was. _

_A noise startled her and she turned to find Jacob there. "Hey dolly, so I was thinking Jeffro and I kind of both wanted to have some fun with you, but he didn't know how to ask you," he said as Jeff came up, laughing at something and slung an arm over Jacob's shoulder. _

_"Hey dude, what are you doing?" he asked. Imari was worried. Jeff was not in full control as Bobby Ray had been handed him beer after beer since he'd finished his first one. _

_"Jeff can you take me home?" she inquired as Jeff climbed into the back with her…_

Jeff sat up suddenly and looked round quickly. Finding himself in his bed in his hotel room, he fell back down, hands running through his hair as breathed in heavily. Without warning, he let out a painful cry before rolling over and burying his face into the pillows, looking up through watering eyes to find that it was only three in the morning.


	9. Heads Up

**Hey all, I have not left the wrestling fandom I just am reworking and trying to find my mojo for it as I seem to have lost it like Batista loses a girlfriend :P Hehe**

**Anyway, PMs only if you want to reply to this as reviewing this note (which will be deleted within a few days) means you can't review when the actual chapter goes up (not that anyone will probably wanna message me over this).**

**I am snow under majorly. At the moment, I am betaing for a friend, am trying to get things in two other fandoms sorted out for my betas respectively, make videos, and on top of all that I'm currently battling an allergic reaction of sorts to a bite from something (been covered in a rash and itchy like crazy since early december) which is finally being dealt with.**

**If you like my fanfiction please head to my profile on here and you'll find an assortment of links to my two author sites; I write under two different identities for two different genres. PS There are facebook fanpages which I would love you to death if you simply liked them ^.^ You won't regret it, I promise you. **

**I just thought I'd drop this out to you all as a heads up that while I haven't updated in months (which I feel terrible for) that the time away has not only allowed me to regroup and work on improving a number of fanfiction stories in this fandom. **

**Adding onto that one of my fanfictions might be being altered to make it into an original work for my Sophie persona- maybe! **

**It'll be MCMG but it'll be entirely reworked so while you'll all associate the original with MCMG the characters names will be altered along with companies and such... What do ya think? Haha.**

**My Little Girl and Little Darling may also be made into an original stories but that is way up in the air for now.**

**If you have made it to the bottom of this, congratulations haha, you are wonderful fans and mean a lot to me ladies and I hope you continue to support me.**

**Dylan**


	10. Chapter 10

**This is a note going out on all of the stories so there if you receive a number of updates, this is the reason.**

**Okay all, well I am pretty much giving up on writing stories on this profile. **

**Aside from the fanfiction story: The Silver Lining all the others will eventually be deleted. And "Beyond the Grey Horizon" will be published under my new account once I have finished revamping the chapters I presently have written. The same might go for Battle of the Brave, Bound by Nature, All That I'm Living For, An Enemy's Daughter and A Lion's Heart; if I ever feel the motivation to rewrite them and rework them. Blind Faith has already been moved over.**

**With that said I am saving the downloadable versions of all the stories into a folder and to those who would like certain stories or the "wrestling folder" I can happily send you them. This is my rough plans, I still am undecided on the matter; I may end up writing to one or two of the wrestling fanfictions that I have up (Little Darlin' and such) but otherwise, I just cannot be bothered with struggling and sending myself nuts with trying to complete most of this fics. **

**Ladies, this does not mean that I have never appreciated your support and the itty bitty bit of success that I gained while writing a number of these fanfictions but I am moving forward to write actually novels with the hope of getting them published one day.**

**I love you all so much and as I said, if you would like certain copies of fiction or the fandom folders I will be saving them all to. Let me know asap!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Update:-**

**Friday, 6th January 2012:**

Hey all my lovelies. So I was thinking of making a return back to the wrestling fandom with a number of rewrites I've been working on and such however it would be under my new account: loki's valkyrie.

The poll up featured is to gauge who wants me back and such and such.

And to those waiting on the folders worth of stories, they have not been forgotten and I still have you all listed down for getting certain ones I have merely been heavily sidetracked from getting them complete and in order for you all. I am so sorry for how long the delay has been.

As for my new account, just search for loki's valkyrie both on here and deviantArt to find me and also I am on tumblr under .com.

Regards,

Kat


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